1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for inhibiting nocturnal drying of the oral cavity from breathing through a person's mouth. More particularly, the invention is directed to an apparatus comprising an air permeable cover, an elastic strap attached to the cover for securing the cover to a person's face, and a cup attached to the lower region of the cover for securing a person's chin.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Xerostomia is the term used for a dry mouth. Millions of Americans suffer from this problem to one degree or another. The problem is most severe at night when an individual may be awakened numerous times at night with discomfort resulting from the dryness in their oral cavity as a result of breathing through their mouth complicated by a host of factors that predispose them to problems of xerostomia.
The etiology of xerostomia is multi-factorial. Many drugs are known to inhibit or reduce salivary function. Among these drugs are many commonly prescribed medications such as tricyclic antidepressants, beta-blockers, and opioid pain medications. Xerostomia can also be the result of diseases such as Sjogren's or other auto immune diseases. Patients who are treated for neoplasms in the head and neck with radiation will suffer a permanent loss of salivary function of any salivary gland included in the treatment field.
The pain of patients who suffer mucositis during cancer treatment can be minimized to some degree by the prevention of mouth breathing which acts to dry out the already inflamed oral tissues making these tissues more susceptible to infection and painful inflammation.
Prior art methods for dealing with xerostomia include waking up during the night and drinking water or some other beverage to moisten the oral cavity. This prior art method is disruptive to a person's sleep pattern and often results in reduced efficiency for the person during the day due to inadequate sleep at night.
The present invention provides an improved means for inhibiting nocturnal drying of the oral cavity. The present invention reduces a person's respiration through the oral cavity while increasing a person's respiration through the nasal cavity, effectively redistributing a person's respiratory flow. This redistribution permits a person to sleep for longer periods without the need to wake up and ingest a beverage.